Universal engine repair fixture



Feb. 23, 1965 w. R. sElBERT UNIVERSAL ENGINE REPAIR FIXTURE Filed Dec. 18, 1961 FIG.5

INVENTOIL WARREN R. SEIBERT.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent UNIVERSAL ENGINE REPAIR FIXTURE Warren R. Seibert, 24533 Ross Ave., Dearborn, Mich. Filed Dec. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 159,830 8 Claims. (Cl. 269-71) This invention relates to engine repair fixturesand, in particular, to universal engine repair fixturesenabli'ng the engineunder repair to be swung into different positions for most efficient working operation'.

One object of this invention is to provide an engine repair fixture which is adapted to hold a small engine in any one of a number of positions of adjustment or, in

lthe-alternative, to hold any one of a number of different Another object is to provide an engine repair fixture which isconvertible to the reception ei-ther of `horizontal engines having vertical crankshafts or of vertical engines having horizontal cranleshafts.

Another object 4is to provide .an engine repair fixture of the foregoing character which holds the engine rigidly in either an upright or tilted position and locks it lirmly in that position, thereby leaving the repair man with both of his hands free for performing hisy repair or maintenance work and not requiring him to employ either of his hands for assisting in holding the engine. f

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an engine repair fixture according to one form of the invention as mounted upon the top of a workbench;

` FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the engine repair fixture shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the engine repair fixture shown in FIGURES l and 2, with two di`erent tilted positions of adjustment around a horizontal axis, shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 2, showing details of the fixture tilting locking arrangement;

'FIGURE 5 is a vertical section of the structure of FIG- URE 14, taken along the line 5 5 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE `6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line 6-6 in FIGURE 3, showing the arrangementfor locking the engine holder after adjustment-around a` vertical axis of rotation; and

3,17%,683 Patented Feb. 23, 1965 ICC by providing a universal engine repair fixture having the advantages set forth in the foregoing objects.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIGURES l to 3 inclusive show a universal engine repair fixture, generally designated 10, according to one form of the invention as consisting generally of Van adjustable base structure 12 and an engine holder 14 especially adapted for holding horizontal engines with vertical crankshafts. The base structure 12 includes a base bracket 15 with a base plate 16 preferably of elongated shape having holes 18 therein for receiving bolts, screws or other fasteners 20 by which the base structure 12 is secured to the top 22 of a work bench 24 or other supporting structure. Secured as by welding to the base plate 16 in spaced parallel relationship are vertical side plates 26 and 28 (FIGURE 2) drilled horizontally in alignment to receive a horizontal axle or shaft 30 secured in position by a set screw or other locking device 32.

Pivotally mounted upon the axle 30 is a swinging or tilting support 33 having a base block 34 drilled horizontally for receiving the axle or shaft 30. Secured to the top of the block 34 as by welding is an upstanding tubular member 36 having a normally vertical bore 38 therein (FIGURE 4). Also secured as by Welding to one side of the block 34 and tubular member 36 is a quadrant plate 40 (FIGURE 5) which is likewise drilled for the passage of the axle or shaft 30 and which is provided with a plurality of holes 42 at the same radius from the center of the axle 30. Secured as by welding to one side plate 26 is a tubular barrel 44 coaxial with any selected one of the holes 42 and containing a locking Vbolt 46 reciprocable within the barrel 44 and having af locking pin 48 provided with a knurled head 50 adaptedV to be grasped by the operator.

The locking pin 48 is of such a diameter as to loosely and reciprocably pass through a hole 52 in the side plate 26 coaxial with the barrel 44 and is provided with a stop collar or enlargement 54 intermediate its opposite ends (FIGURE 4). The stop collar 54 is normally urged into engagement with the side plate 26 by a helical compression spring 56, the opposite or outer end of which engages an annular spring abutment 58 welded or otherwise secured within the outer end of the tubular barrel 44.

Slidably and rotatably received Within the bore 38 of the upstandring tubular member 36 of the base structure Y 12 is a stem or shaft 60 of the engine holder 14. The

FIGURE 7is a rear elevation of a modified engine Y holder for vertical engines interchangeable with the engine holder shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

Hitherto small engines while being repaired have been ordinarily placed on a Work bench and held down with one hand of the workman while he used the other hand shaft 60 is preferably welded at its upper end to the under side of the rearward portion of an open-centered engine mounting plate or platform y62 having an opening 64 in the central portion thereof leaving an approximately rectangular peripheral portion 66 having an upstanding back or edge plate 68 welded in part to the horizontal engine, mounting plate 62 and in part to the Vertical stem 60. The vertical back plate 68 extends below the level of the mounting plate 62 and is connected at its opposite ends to the opposite sides of the engine v mounting plate 62 by triangular gusset plates or braces 70 welded or otherwise secured thereto. Secured as by welding to the upper central portion of the back plate 68 is a horizontal shaft or stem 72 corresponding in diameter to the vertical shaft or stem 60 and interchangeable with it in the bore 38 of the tubular member 36 of the base structure 12.

The tubular member 36 of the base structure 12 is provided on its rearward side with a boss 74 (FIGURE 6) which is drilled and threaded horizontally as at 76 to receive a locking thumb screw 78 having a knurled head 80 (FIGURE 6). The tip of the screw 7S enters an annular groove or keyway 81 in the stem or shaft 60. Secured as by welding to the peripheral part 66 of the engine mounting plate 62 at circumferentially-spaced locations are two upstanding locating pins 82, and formed in the same part 66 near the four corners thereof are four circumferentially-spaced holes 84, three of which are ocy cupied by three rotary engine holddown or clamping devices, generally designated 86.' The fourth and unoccupied hole 84 is adapted to receive one of the clamping devices 86 which is transferred to it from oner of the other holes 84 in order to accommodate certain makes or models of engines requiring different Vpositions thereof. Each of the holddown devices 86 consists of an internally-threaded-knurled knob 8S mounted beneath the mounting plate 62 and threadedly receiving the shank of a screw 90 carrying beneath its upper end $2 an angle arm 94 (FIGURE 2), the peripheral portion 66 being drilled for the passage of the pin 9i). Arranged between the mounting plate 62 and the angle arm 14 is a helical compression spring 96 which urges the knob SS upward against the lower side of the engine mounting plate 62. The construction of each holddown device 86 is such that the angle arm 94 may be swung or rotated around the vertical axis of its respective pin 90 into a position most convenient for engaging the engine base or crankcase rim (not shown).

The modified engine holder, generally designated Milf shown in FIGURE 7 is adapted to be interchangeable with the engine holder 14 within the base structure 12 for holding vertical engines with horizontal crankshafts. The

4 the pin 48 of which proceeds to enter the newly selected hole 42 in the adjusted position of the engine holder 14. By this procedure, the engine (not shown) is firmly and rigidly held in its most eflicient position of repair or maintenance, whereupon the workman proceeds with his repair or maintenance workin the usual manner.

In the event, ho"\veverthat'repairs on a particular make or model of engine are of such character that the mountving plate 62 of the engine holder 14 is most conveniently used in an upstanding position, the operator places the stem 72in"the bore 38 of the tubular member 36 of the base'structure 12 rather than the stem 66 and locks it in position by the locking screw Si). The remaining operalstructure 12 and substitutes for it the modified engine holder 100, inserting the shaft or stem 110 in the bore 38y of the tubular member 36 of the base structure 12 in place of the stem 60 or 72 of the engine holder 14. He

locks the modified engine holder 100 in position by means 'n -of the locking screw 80 and then bolts the crankcase of engine holder 190 includes an approximately rectangular' mounting plate 192 equipped with elongated corner and intermediate slots 104 and 106 for receiving engine holddown bolts or other fasteners or clamps (not shown). Welded or otherwise secured to the central portion of the mounting plate 102 is a base plate 16? to which is welded or otherwise secured a stern or shaft 110. The latter is of substantially the same diameter as the stem or shaft 60 of the engine holder 14 so as to be interchangeable within the bore 38 of the tubular member 36 of the base structure 12. l

In the operation of the engine holding fixture 10, let it be assumed that a horizontal engine with a vertical crankshaft is to be worked upon and that the pan thereof has been removed so as to expose the crankshaft. The engine is then placed upon the mounting plate 62 of the engine n holder 14 in such a manner that the flanged edge portion of the crankcase fits under the angle arms 94, which have been moved to their raised positions by rotating the threaded knobs 88 to permit upward motion of the screws 9i). Certain makes or models of engines are provided with recesses suitably located fory receiving the locating pins 82, whereas other engines have aprojection or pin adapted to enter the holev84. The operator then rotates each of the knobs 88 so as to pull each screw 90 downward so as to bring each angle arm 94 tightly into clamping engagement with the engine crankcase rim.

The operator now adjusts the xture 1t) to locate the engine in the most convenient position for the particular repair or maintenance operations which he is to perform. To do this, he may loosen the locking thumb screw Si? so as to permit rotating the engine holder 14 around the axis of the stem 69, tightening the screw Si) to clamp the holder 14 in its horizontally-adjusted position. If it is more convenient for him to work upon the engine in a position of the fixture other than the vertical position thereof shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, and in solid lines in FIGURE 3, the workman holds the engine and its attached mounting holder 14 with one hand while he pulls outward upon the knurled head 50 of the locking pin 48 with the other hand so as to remove the locking pin 48 from locking engagement with the vertical position hole 42, holding the head 50 in its outer position while he swings the tubular member 36 into an inclined position shown in the upper dotted lines of FIGURE 3, or into the horizontal position shown in the lower dotted lines thereof. He then releases the head 50 of the locking bolt 46,

the engine to the mounting plate 1112 by means of bolts or` other fasteners inserted through the elongated slots 104 or 106, or both, as the circumstances dictate. lHe then proceeds to adjust the modified engine holder and the engine thereon to the most convenient working position by the use of the locking bolt 46 and quadrant plate 40 in the manner described above.

What I claim is: 1. A universal engine repair fixture, comprising a base structure having a base plate adapted to be Secured to a work bench or the like,

said plate having a device thereon with a pivot axis disposed substantially parallel thereto and a swinging support having one end thereof pivotally mounted on said pivot device for swinging motion between positions substantially perpendicular and substantially parallel to said base plate; and an engine holder having' an engine mounting platform with an engine-holding peripheral portion surrounding an enlarged central engine access opening, a first means connecting said engine mounting platform to said swinging 'support at a location remote from said pivot device, and engine hold-down elements mounted on'said platform in peripherally-spaced relationship therewith. 2. A universal engine repair fixture, according to claim 1, wherein said connecting means includes a supporting member detachably connected to said swinging support.

3. A universal engine repair fixture, according to claim 2, wherein said supporting member is rotatably mounted in said swinging support 4. A universal engine repair fixture, according to claim 3, wherein releasable clamping means is disposed `between said supporting member and swinging support in releasable clamping relationship therewith.

5. A universal engine repair fixture, according to claim wherein said base structure carries a locking device se lectively engageable with one'of said holes in each of a plurality of different positionsof tilt of said swinging support. Y

8. A universal engine repair xture, according to claim 7,V wherein said swinging support includes a locking plate containing said locking'holes, and

wherein said base structure includes a side plate disposed adjacent said locking plate and a locking member! movably mounted on said side plate for motion into and out of locking engagement with a selected one of said locking holes corresponding to a selected position of tilt of said swinging support.

References Cited in the iileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Henderer Sept. 27, Eager Ian. 25, I-lardesty Jan. 1, Ober Dec. 26, Ingwer Feb. 21, Tyndall Ian. 2, Yarwood May 27, Evans Aug. 12, Gunyner Dec. l2,

Waggoner Aug. 7,`

1902iY j 1910` 191s- 

1. A UNIVERSAL ENGING REPAIR FIXTURE, COMPRISING A BASE STRUCTURE HAVING A BASE PLATE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO WORK BENCH OR THE LIKE, SAID PLATE HAVING A DEVICE THEREON WITH A PIVOT AXIS DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THERETO AND A SWINGING SUPPORT HAVING ONE END THEREOF PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID PIVOT DEVICE FOR SWINGING MOTION BETWEEN POSITIONS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID BASE PLATE; AND AN ENGINE HOLDER HAVING AN ENGINE MOUNTING PLATFORM WITH AN ENGINE-HOLDING PERIPHERAL PORTION SURROUNDING AN ENLARGED CENTRAL ENGINE ACCESS OPENING, A FIRST MEANS CONNECTING SAID ENGINE MOUNTING PLATFORM TO SAID SWINGING SUPPORT AT A LOCATION REMOTE FROM SAID PIVOT DEVICE, AND ENGINE HOLD-DOWN ELEMENTS MOUNTED ON SAID PLATFORM IN PERIPHERALLY-SPACED RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH. 